LITE Study           
The LITE (Living Lean In a Toxic Environment) study is countering the popular notion that nobody can maintain a normal body weight while living in today's culture of fast food restaurants, automobiles, and remote controls - all of which have been labeled "toxic" to maintaining a healthy body weight. The study is comparing successful weight losers with normal weight controls to find out how they are managing to maintain a normal weight while living in our obesity-promoting world. We have completed our enrollment of successful weight losers. However, if you have been normal weight your entire life you may still be eligible. For more details about the LITE study and to find out if you would be eligible to participate, please call 1-877-371-LITE.
    >> Investigator: Suzanne Phelan, Ph.D.; Rena Wing, Ph.D.

Childhood Healthy Lifestyle Studies       
As the number of adolescents and adults who are overweight in the US has increased, developing healthy eating and activity habits in young children is more important than ever before.  Child HELP (Healthy Eating and Lifestyle Program) and Kids CAN (Changing Activity and Nutrition) are the first studies that are examining how to help 4- to 8-year-old children who are at risk for overweight establish lifelong, health-promoting behaviors that will help prevent the development of obesity later in life.
    >> Investigators: Hollie Raynor, PhD, RD; Rena Wing, Ph.D.

STOP Regain                  

Weight loss is challenging but even more challenging is weight loss-maintenance. The STOP Regain program is evaluating 3 methods for helping people to maintain their weight loss - newsletters, increased physical activity, and self-regulation. Prospective participants must have lost 10+ lbs during Shape-Up RI 2007.

    >> Investigator: Rena Wing, Ph.D; Amy Gorin, Ph.D.; Angela Marinilli-Pinto, Ph.D.

 

Healthy Habits Study
For most of us, when we have a variety of choices to eat, we have a tendency to eat more than we want.  Research has found that both humans and animals eat more when there are lots of different food choices (greater variety), and eat less when there are fewer food choices (less variety).  A diet that contains a lot of variety of snack foods, like cookies, chips, pastries, and ice cream, is linked to eating more of these foods, and is usually high in calories and fat, which may make it hard to lose weight.  Healthy Habits is the first study to investigate how limiting variety in snack foods may help with weight loss.
    >> Investigators: Hollie Raynor, PhD, RD; Rena Wing, Ph.D.

Project CLUEE 
Project CLUEE (College Life: Understanding Eating and Exercise) is designed to examine whether college freshmen actually gain the mythical "Freshmen 15" and, if so, what factors lead to this weight gain. College freshmen at a local university are enrolled in this National Institutes of Health-funded study throughout their freshmen year and provide height, weight, and information on diet, physical activity, alcohol intake and other variables related to the college experience. This information will then be used to develop a treatment program geared toward assisting college students in reducing their likelihood of gaining weight during the college years.

   >> Investigators: Elizabeth E. Lloyd-Richardson, PhD; Rena R. Wing, Ph.D.

LEAP Study           
Despite the variety of diets and weight loss strategies available, maintaining a healthy weight continues to be a struggle and the home environment may be partially to blame. LEAP (Lifestyle Eating and Activity Program) is the first study to determine whether changing both the physical and social factors within the home can help people lose weight and maintain it.
    >> Investigators: Amy Gorin, Ph.D.; Holly Raynor, Ph.D.; Rena Wing, Ph.D.

PRIDE Study - Can losing weight improve urinary incontinence in overweight women?
PRIDE (Program to Reduce Incontinence by Diet and Exercise) is a randomized, multi-center study funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIDDK) currently evaluating the impact of weight loss on urinary incontinence among 330 overweight or obese incontinent women.  In Rhode Island, the study is underway with 173 women, aged 30 and older, who are overweight and experiencing urinary incontinence.  Women in the study have been randomly assigned to either a lifestyle and behavioral change program for weight loss or to a structured education program for weight loss.  The groups differ in the frequency of group meetings over the 18-month program, but both receive valuable information on behavioral strategies to improve urinary incontinence and education on how to make lifestyle changes in diet and exercise.
    >> Investigators: Rena R. Wing, Ph.D.; Amy Gorin, Ph.D.

Look A.H.E.A.D. Study      
Although weight loss is thought to be beneficial to health studies are needed to examine the long term changes in health that are associated with weight loss and maintenance. The Look A.H.E.A.D. study is a multi-center clinical trial that is being conducted at 15 clinical centers across the U.S. – one clinical center is at Miriam Hospital. This study will examine the health outcomes of weight loss in individuals with Type 2 diabetes.
    >> Investigator: Rena R. Wing, Ph.D.

Web SLIM-FAST Study      
The Internet offers an exciting new way to offer weight loss programs and new technologies (expert systems) make it possible to customize programs for individuals seeking to lose weight. The Web Slim-Fast study compares three different types of Internet weight loss programs that vary in the type and amount of therapist help a person receives.  This study compares counseling through e-mail from a therapist with a computer expert system.  These Internet programs are used in combination with Slim-Fast.
    >> Investigators: Deborah F. Tate, Ph.D.; Rena R. Wing, Ph.D.

 

Ener-G Study        for teen girls
This study focuses on using Internet to help adolescent girls lose weight. Both groups will receive traditional face-to-face group meetings. However, the experimental group will also be given several Internet tools, including group chat sessions with a therapist, message boards, and e-mail feedback. The purpose will be to test the Internet's effectiveness in the adolescent weight loss process.
    >> Investigators: Deborah F. Tate, Ph.D.; Elissa Jelalian, Ph.D.

HealthELife Study       
The HealthELife program is a weight loss study for adults. Research participants use Palm Pilot food diaries and wireless uploading allowing therapists to view their food choices.Half of the subjects receive individualized therapy via e-mail feedback from their assigned therapist. The others receive group therapy through weekly on-line chat sessions lead by a therapist. The purpose is to compare the two forms of treatment therapy in the Internet setting.
    >> Investigators: Deborah F. Tate, Ph.D.

Web Weight II Study       
This study compares two Internet weight loss programs with different types and amounts of contact throughout the programs.  Both programs use a website with access to Internet resources and a social support message board but have different amounts of therapist involvement in the weight loss program.
    >> Investigators: Deborah F. Tate, Ph.D.; Rena R. Wing, Ph.D.; 
         John M. Jakicic, Ph.D.

Peer-Based Skills Training (PBST) Study for teenagers        
One potential limitation of existing weight control interventions for teens is that little attention is given to the peer group as part of treatment. The purpose of the Peer-Based Skills Training (PBST) study is to evaluate a peer-based intervention to enhance weight control in overweight adolescents.
    >> Investigators: Elissa Jelalian, Ph.D.; Rena R. Wing, Ph.D.